History
Project Belize
is a non-proft corporation located in Nacogdoches, Texas, that annually
sends a group of doctors, nurses, and other members travel to the Central
American country of Belize. The group provides medical treatment to
approximately 1000 people living in the remote villages of southern Belize.
Project Belize developed from a small group of doctors, dentists, nurses,
and social workers from the Nacogdoches area who were involved with the
development of the East Texas Community Health Clinic in 1987. The group
responded to a request by Amigos International to visit Belize and provide
critically needed dental and medical care in some of the more remote villages
of this small country. The experience was rewarding enough that the
group incorporated and has made annual trips since then. In recent
years, the group has invited several nursing students from SFASU, providing
them with an excellent experience in cross cultural primary health care.
Each year's
trip is coordinated with the Ministry of Primary Health Care for Belize, the
Belize City Hospital, and the Chief of Staff at the Hospital in Punta Gorda,
who makes the final selections of the villages that are visited by the group.
The group has limited most of its work to visiting the most remote villages,
using mules and hiking to reach several of the more remote. The terrain
is hilly with lush jungle, very high humidity and heat. Each clinic
is usually held in the school house in the village or a community building.
The group takes vitamins, antibiotics, anti-inflamatories, and anti-fungal
creams and provides a general primary health care clinic. Some education
on general hygiene and dental care is also provided.
The group
travels by small plane, vans, and hiking to visit ten or so villages during
the course of this year's trip. Most years the group spends the nights
in village school houses or community centers, sleeping on cots and hanging
mosquito nets. Bathing is in the river and drinking water must be
treated. Project members take anti-malaria medication, polio and tetanus
boosters, and use strong insect repellent.
Who Receives
Treatment
The villagers
are descendants of the Mayan culture and live much as they have since the
fall of the Mayan empire around 800 AD. Thatch roofs, dirt floors,
and open fires are the norm as is bathing in and drinking from the river.
They are primarily subsistence farmers and their principle diet consists
of corn, beans and rice. Most of the groups work is with women and children
of the villages and the majority of each year's treatment is for upper respiratory
infections, skin disorders, colds, cuts, and infected sores. There
is a great book that has been recently published,
The Maya Atlas
, (available through Amazon.com), that maps the villages the group
treats. It is recommended reading for those iterested in this unique culture.
It provides detailed maps of the villages and provides some demographics.
Funding
Project Belize
is self funded by each years participants, but has received donations from
several individuals and groups.
The Lions Club
and Altrusa Club
of Nacogdoches have assisted in the collection of glasses and funds for
trips in the past. Several other private individuals have donated
funds for medications and local physicians have contributed sample and extra
medications for the trip. For the past several years, Dr. Robert Lehmann,
a local Opthamologist, and his staff have processed and coded glasses that
have been donated and collected by the local Lion's Club for each year's
trip.
If you are interested in giving to this effort, send funds to:
Project Belize, Inc.
Pam Warren Mueller, Treasurer
737 Silver Lake, Monticello, FL 32344
Project Belize, Inc. is a 501-C03
non-profit group. Collected funds are used solely for the purchase of medications.
How to Become
a Part of This Effort:
Participation in each year's trip is dependent on past years' participation,
one's physical condition, and what someone can offer the trip. Medical
orientation is helpful, but it is not necessary. There are a good
number of tasks such as crowd control, taking histories using interpreters,
dispensing medications, carrying and treating water, cooking and camp set
up that are equally important. Heat tolerance and the ability to walk hills
in high humidity is a requirement as well as being able to camp out for
the five to six nights of the work portion of the trip.als and groups. The
group usually uses cots and mosquito nets and spends nights in the village
school houses. The total cost of the main part of the trip is about $900
including airfare from Houston. Participants must pay their own way
or raise the funds for their costs for the trip.
For questions or information,
email:
mcnellie@mcnellie.com
Project Belize 2012:
Click here
for the Letter for this year's trip. Dates are: May 17- May 28, 2012.
Project Belize 2011:
The dates were: May 19- May 30, 2011.
Click here for pictures from this trip.
(
https://picasaweb.google.com/projectbelize2011/ProjectBelize2011
)
Project Belize 2010: The dates were: May 20- May 31, 2010. Click here for a link to pictures from this year's trip. Click here for a brief video from the 2010 clinic in San Vicente
Project Belize 2009: The dates were: May 21- June 1, 2009.
Project Belize 2008 The dates were: May 22 -
June 2, 2008.
Educational
Opportunities
It may be possible to earn college or university credit for participation
in an annual trip. In year's past nursing students have gained course
credit for preparatory work and back ground research on the Mayan people
and the primary medical needs of Belize. Several of the current members
of the group teach at local universities and may be contacted to see if
a special tutorial course can be arranged for elective credit. Contact
the trip coordinator for more information.
Staff Qualifications: http://www.projectbelize.org/belize2.html
Project Belize - 2002
Project Belize - 2001
A River Runs Through It
Project Belize
- 2000
Project Belize first began operation in May 1988 and has continued annual
clinics mostly in the Toledo District of Belize.
Project Belize is a non-profit, tax exempt 501-C-03 corporation. All donations are tax exempt and go solely toward the purchase of medications for each year's trip. There are no administrative expenses as all such costs are borne by the participants. Donations may be sent to:
Project Belize,
% Bruce McNellie
5922 Princess Lane,
Nacogdoches, TX 75961.
Dr. Quinn Robinson is the medical director, Pam Mueller, the treasurer, and Bruce McNellie is the trip coordinator. For additional information about the group and its work, write or email Bruce McNellie at: mcnellie@mcnellie.com
For more information on this past years' trips
For information on travel in Guatemala and visiting Tikal National Park
For information on a great hotel near Tikal, Guatemala
For information about other resources in Belize: http://www.iaqi.com/belize/
Belize resources
Belize related news, books and regional resources
To Special Interest Links page
